The Worry Family
by kensi54382
Summary: First, it was Buck worrying about Maddie when she was kidnapped by Doug. Now, it's Maddie's turn to worry about her brother after his leg is crushed by the fire truck. What comes next for them? More trouble is on the way.
1. Chapter 1

**Prologue**

Maddie sat in the hard, plastic chair in the waiting room. Buck had been taken into surgery two hours earlier to fix his crushed right leg, and she hadn't heard anything yet. She had spent the better part of the time crying, and the latest tear tracks were still wet on her cheeks.

"Maddie?" asked Chimney a few minutes later. He sat down next to her and handed her a cup of coffee.

"I still haven't heard anything, Chimney. Why haven't I heard anything?" Maddie asked tearfully.

"Hey, no news is good news. It means that they don't need to fix other complications."

"The doctor told me it would take an hour and a half. It's been two."

"You know what? Doctors shouldn't give times, they always underestimate them," said Chimney with a grin.

"I know that you're trying to cheer me up, but it isn't working."

"I had to try..."

"Maddie Buckley?" asked a young man.

"Is Evan okay?" Maddie asked, standing up in a hurry.

"Your brother is out of surgery and has woken up. The surgery was successful, and the doctor feels that he should make a full recovery. You can see him, if you like?"

"Of course I want to see him!" exclaimed Maddie. "Sorry, I didn't mean to yell. I'm just worried."

"That's understandable," said the young man with a smile. "Besides, I get a lot worse than that."

* * *

"Buck?" asked Maddie as she stepped up to her little brother. "How are you feeling?"

"Maddie? Hey, what did the doctor say about my leg?" asked Buck.

"He's confident you'll make a full recovery. It might just take some time."

"I can wait... I think."

Maddie laughed. "Oh, Buck," she sighed. "I'm so glad you're okay. I was so scared when I saw you stuck underneath the truck on the news."

"I can imagine. Now, you know how worried I was about you when Doug took you."

"I'm sorry that I couldn't help to you quick enough."

"That definitely wasn't your fault, Maddie. None of this was your fault. Although, from what I could see, Bobby handled that situation pretty well. Speaking of which, where is Bobby?"

"He's talking with the chief," said Chimney. "Hopefully, he'll come back and tell us that he's coming back to work and I can stop being the captain."

"Don't you like being in charge, Chim?" asked Buck sarcastically as Ali walked in.

"I hate it, actually." Chimney gave Ali a smile. "I think Maddie and I might go get something to drink," he added, taking Maddie's hand and leading her out of the room.

* * *

"I'm not hungry, Chimney," said Maddie as they stepped into the hospital cafeteria.

"You keep saying that, but you haven't eaten anything since we've been here, and that's been a few hours now. I highly doubt you've eaten anything all day, for that matter," said Chimney as he paid for their food and drinks.

"I really am okay. I don't need to eat."

"Should I tell Buck that his big sister is going to waste away because she isn't eating?"

"I'm not going to waste away, Howard," pouted Maddie.

The two of them took a seat at a table near the doors. Chimney watched as Maddie slowly picked at her fries. She didn't eat any of them, and she refused to look up at his face. Chimney knew that it wasn't just Buck being in surgery that was bothering Maddie- something else was going on in her head, and he knew that she wasn't going to freely talk about it.

"Hey, Maddie?" asked Chimney after a couple of minutes.

"Yes?"

"What's wrong? You look very sad."

"Well, considering that my brother just got his leg crushed and is now in the hospital..."

"No, it isn't that. You know that Buck will be okay after some time healing. There's something else bothering you." Maddie looked up, and Chimney saw tears in her eyes. Immediately, he pulled Maddie into a tight embrace, and whispered, "it's okay, Maddie. I promise. You just have to tell me so I can help you."

"Buck could have died out there in that street! He was stuck underneath a fire truck, and that kid didn't even care that an innocent person was going to die! I sent emergency services out to help you guys, and they couldn't get there. I couldn't get them there fast enough!" blurted Maddie as she buried her face in Chimney's chest and cried.

Chimney tightened his hold on Maddie. He didn't really know what to say to her- it wasn't her fault; she had done her job and sent out the help that they needed. She had no way of knowing that someone would stop the emergency vehicles from getting to the overturned truck. But, how could he explain all of that to her? It wasn't some random person that had been hurt by all of that, it was her brother- the one person that she knew she could turn to and ask for help no matter what happened.

"I nearly lost him, Chim," whispered Maddie, breaking Chimney out of his thoughts.

"But, you didn't. Buck is alive and relatively unhurt. He'll be okay and back to work before you know it," replied Chimney.

"I can't lose him."

"You're not going to lose him." Chimney lifted Maddie's head and looked at her. "Why don't we head back up there and you can spend some time with him?"

Maddie nodded. "I'd like that."

Chimney smiled and stood, holding out his hand to Maddie. "Let's go," he said, and they walked out of the cafeteria together.

* * *

**Two weeks later**

Maddie laughed as Buck complained, yet again, about her cutting off one of the legs of his work pants. She knew he didn't really care about them being cut up, but he just wanted to make her life hard while he stayed with her. His leg was healing well, and she had discussed the possibility of another surgery with Buck, but she knew that he wouldn't need it- he was healing well, even if it was a bit slower than he wanted.

"I'm just going to tuck the bottom of the leg into your cast," said Maddie as she finished hemming the pants. "Nobody will know I cut them."

"Fine," said Buck with a pout. He smiled. "Thanks, Mads. I know you were probably busy."

"Busy? Doing what? I have the day off work today, there's nothing I need to do. Besides, I was planning on going to the fire station with you for the ceremony anyway. Eddie deserves all the support he can get."

Maddie helped Buck with getting his cast through the pants, then went to get changed herself.

* * *

Everyone was busy. Maddie watched as Athena and Bobby hugged and kissed each other. They looked extremely happy- though, Maddie had to admit that everyone had been happy that Bobby was returning to work. Eddie was hugging his son and talking to his family. They looked excited and were still congratulating Eddie on becoming a firefighter. Maddie's smile widened when she saw Buck chatting with Hen- he looked content and happy, which was exactly what Maddie had hoped for when they had gotten to the station house.

"Hey there," said a voice, startling Maddie before making her smile again.

"Hi, Chimney." Maddie grinned, but didn't move from where she was leaning against the fire truck. "I know we talked about it, and you agreed that things weren't going to ever be the same for us, but..."

"I think you were right, Maddie."

"Well, I think you were right. Things never will be the same, but that's okay. We can still have what we want, and maybe make a new version of what we were going to have. I love you."

"You know, you were standing in the exact same spot when you asked me out last time? And, like last time, the answer is yes!"

Maddie giggled as Chimney lifted her into a hug. "You don't even know the question."

"I'm pretty sure I do. I love you, too, Maddie Buckley!"


	2. Chapter 2

**One Year Later**

Buck smiled happily as he stepped into the fire station. He had missed being there, missed his friends. Short visits every now and then hadn't been enough- mostly, it had just made him miss the place more. When he had told Bobby the day before that he was cleared to return to work, Bobby had been excited and promised to let everyone know.

"Welcome back!" shouted Hen as she enveloped Buck in a bear hug that squeezed all the air out of him.

"Uh... thanks, Hen," he gasped as he sucked in lungfuls of air. "I forgot how good those hugs were."

"You're welcome." Hen grinned and put her arm around Buck's shoulders. "Come with me," she said.

Buck followed his friend up the stairs to the kitchen. Bobby, Chimney and Eddie were already there, eating what looked like eggs and bacon.

"Hi, everyone," said Buck as he dropped his bag on the floor.

The team turned to stare at him. Buck immediately felt like he was back in the past, on his first day, waiting to find out who Captain Nash was. This time, however, the people looking at him were smiling, rather than looking foreboding.

"Welcome back," said Chimney. "Maddie must be glad to be rid of you," he joked.

"Actually, Maddie is terrified that I'm going to be hurt again," said Buck as he sat next to Eddie. "Is there any chance you can call her and tell her I'm fine. I'm hoping she'll listen to you."

"I'll give her a call in a little while. Are you excited to be back?"

"Of course! I've missed this place. It turns out, there's only a short number of days that you can spend looking at the same four walls before you go stir crazy."

"Well, I made this for you," said Bobby as he stood up and grabbed something out of the fridge. "I hope you like it."

Buck smiled as Bobby placed a cake on the table. The icing read 'Welcome Back Buckeroo!'.

"I love it... I have a question, though. Did Athena help you with the icing?" asked Buck, laughing.

"How did you know?"

"Nobody calls me Buckeroo, except Athena."

Bobby laughed. "Well, she may be rubbing off on me..." he began as the alarm blared. "Gear up, guys!" he called.

Buck breathed a sigh of relief. He was back in the thick of things, where he was happiest and most comfortable.

* * *

"911, what's your emergency?" asked Maddie as she settled into her station for her shift. She was much calmer now, but was still worrying.

"I need help! There's a fire in my neighbour's backyard and she's unable to walk!"

"Okay, ma'am, I'm sending a truck now. Can you tell me if your neighbour was home before the fire started?" asked Maddie as she put in a request for a fire truck and an ambulance.

"I think she was. I can't be sure, I just got home. But her car is in the driveway!"

"Okay. Is the fire contained in the yard, or is it spreading?"

"It's starting to spread."

"Ma'am, everything is going to be okay. Help will be there soon."

"Please hurry!"

"They're going as fast as they can. What's your neighbour's name?"

"Jenny."

"How old is Jenny?"

"Seventy. She lives alone, but I always check on her. I didn't go over there today."

"You can check on her soon. What can you tell me about Jenny's walking ability?"

"She can't walk. She was in an accident a few years ago, and the bones in her legs were shattered. She has osteoporosis. The doctors offered to give her two prosthetic legs, but she denied them. She uses a wheelchair."

"You said she has a car?"

"It's hers, but her carer usually drives it. The car stays in her driveway if it isn't needed."

"Is her carer there?"

"No. I can't see his car, anyway." The woman on the phone was silent for a moment, then exclaimed, "they're here! I can see the fire truck! Thank you so much!"

"You're welcome." Maddie smiled a little as she ended the call.

* * *

Buck jumped out of the truck and ran towards the house with Eddie. They didn't need to speak to know what they were going to do- Buck and Chimney had agreed that one of them would always stay safe for Maddie's sake. But, after a year away from his beloved job, Buck was full of energy and raring to go. He and Eddie made a great team in emergency situations.

"Be careful!" shouted Hen as she and Chimney unrolled fire hoses to try and put out the fire before it could spread any further than the back of the house.

Buck waved away her concerns as he stepped into the house from the front door. "I'll go left, you go right," he called to Eddie before running into what seemed to be a living room. "Jenny?" he asked as he spotted an elderly woman sitting in a wheelchair near the window.

"Oh, thank goodness," said Jenny.

"Let's get you out of here. Is anyone else in the house?"

"No, it's just me."

Buck nodded. He grabbed his radio. "I got her, Eddie," he said. "Let's get out." He turned back to Jenny and grabbed the handles of her wheelchair. "Let's get you out of here."

Jenny quickly released the chair's brakes and Buck rolled her out of the living room, meeting up with Eddie at the same time.

"Well done, you two," said Bobby as Buck and Eddie came out of the house with Jenny.

"She needs to be checked out," said Buck, "I found her in the living room. It was getting pretty smoky in there," he added, handing Jenny over to Hen.

"You did good in there," said Chimney. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm fine," said Buck, "although, Maddie will probably murder me for going into that house."

"I'm sure she'll understand..."

"Don't be so sure about that. Maddie's been looking after me for months. Believe me when I say that she's going to worry."

"Months?" asked Eddie. "I thought the two of you agreed that you would be staying with Ali?"

Buck shrugged and turned away, his eyes going misty at the thought of what he should have had.

"Hey, Buck?" asked Chimney, concern lacing his voice. "Are you alright?"

"I'm fine..."

"You are a terrible liar," said Eddie. "Tell us what happened."

Buck sighed and looked at his friends. "Ali broke up with me," he said as he walked back to the truck and climbed in.


	3. Chapter 3

Buck could see Chimney and Eddie watching him as he looked out the window. He was silent, something that wasn't normal for him. He knew everyone was worried, but he couldn't tell them why Ali had left him. He thought that Eddie might understand, since his wife had wanted a divorce for almost the same reason, but he didn't want to say that. It wasn't his friends' faults that she had chosen to leave, and there was no way he would take out his pain on them.

"Buck, since it's your first day back, where should we go after work?" asked Bobby from the driver's seat.

"I was planning on going home, actually," said Buck distractedly.

"You can go home after we welcome you back properly. How about we get some drinks? My treat."

"Maybe..."

"Buck, is there something else you want to do?" asked Hen.

"Not really."

"Are you feeling alright? Did you breathe in too much of the smoke?"

"I'm not sick, if that's what you're thinking. I'm feeling fine."

"Are you sure?"

"Very sure." Buck sighed quietly as he watched the trees pass by the window.

* * *

Chimney held his breath as he waited for Maddie to answer his call. He was hiding outside, knowing that if Buck caught him, his friend would be angry with him for prying, but he needed to know what had happened with Ali. He just didn't want Buck to hear him, because there was no way that he could pass off the call as just a conversation with his girlfriend.

"Hi, Chimney," came Maddie's voice, "is something wrong?"

"No, everything's fine. We just got back from a house fire."

"Oh no!"

"What's wrong?"

"I sent my brother out to that fire?"

"Uh, Maddie? I'm confused here."

"You went out to a house fire where a seventy year old woman was inside, right?"

"Yes... Buck's fine, Maddie. He saved the woman."

"Did you or Hen check him?"

Chimney laughed. "Maddie, Buck is fine. He doesn't need to be checked out."

"You're sure?"

"I am. I was actually calling for another reason."

"Oh... What was that reason?"

"Ali."

"What about her?"

"Buck said they broke up."

Chimney heard a sigh before Maddie said, "Ali left Buck in the middle of the night. They had argued before going to bed, and Buck thought that they would figure things out in the morning, but he woke up and there was no sign Ali was there. All she left him was a goodbye note."

"What?!"

"Didn't Buck tell you?"

"He said they broke up, then went silent. I've never known your brother to be silent, Maddie."

"Me either. He's pretty upset by this though. He really loves Ali."

"Did she give a reason why she left?"

"Yes... She wants him to give up firefighting. Buck loves the job- there's no way that he'll give it up."

"So, she won't be with him unless he has a safer job?" Chimney asked in disbelief. "Does she not realise that if Buck wasn't a firefighter, they never would have met each other?"

"I guess not. Listen, Chim, Buck really doesn't want anyone to make a fuss about it. He's trying to work things out with Ali, even though it's pretty much all one-sided, because he still wants her in his life. I went to pick him up after she left so he could stay with me, and I found him crying. I've never seen Buck cry, and I don't want to see him cry ever again."

"Should I talk to him?"

"When he's ready, he'll tell all of this to you. He trusts you with much more than just his life. Give him some time."

"Okay. Hey, Maddie?"

"Yes?"

"What do you say we get dinner tonight?"

"I would love to get dinner. I finish at seven. Do you want me to pick you up?"

"I think that's a good idea. I'll work out where we can go. And I'll save you a piece of Buck's welcome back cake."

"Thanks, Chimney. And, thank you for looking out for Buck. I appreciate it."

"Always, Maddie... I better go, Buck's coming this way and I don't want him to hear this conversation."

"Okay. I'll see you tonight then. I love you."

"Love you too, Maddie." Chimney ended the call and put his phone in his pocket just as Buck rounded the corner.

"There you are," said Buck, "I've been looking everywhere for you! I need to talk to you."

* * *

"Was that Buck?" asked Josh as Maddie returned to her desk with her phone in hand.

"No, it was Chimney. He said that Buck's okay, but that house fire I sent a truck to? The truck was from the 118 and Buck decided he was going into the house. I'm just worried that something will happen to him," said Maddie.

"I'm sure he's okay. After all, I'm pretty sure that Buck's gone into plenty of burning buildings in the past."

"Yeah, but he's just gone back to work..."

"All the more reason for him to get back into the difficult stuff. You know, jumping into the deep end and all that?"

"I suppose."

"Would you feel better if I call Buck's captain and check in on him?" Josh asked, giving Maddie a sympathetic smile.

Maddie almost shook her head, but then nodded. "I'd like that, actually. He'll murder me if I keep calling, but he'll be okay if it's you checking in for me."

"Somehow, I think he's okay with you calling, Maddie."

"I hope so. I've texted him a dozen times today."

Josh laughed. "Well, that might be a bit much, Maddie. It's only lunch time."

"I know, I'm just afraid that he's not as okay as he says."

"You know, he probably is a little overwhelmed, but he's happy, and that's all that matters. I'll call Captain Nash and check in, but only if you promise me that you will not text your brother before three o'clock."

"Okay, I guess I can do that." Maddie checked her phone. "I need to get back to work anyway," she said.


	4. Chapter 4

Josh watched Maddie as she got back to work. He could tell that she was worried about her brother, and he didn't blame her. She had every right to worry after what Buck had been through. Josh thought about how he was going to get through to Maddie and calm her down, and the first thing that came to mind was the same thing that he had used to calm Buck down when Maddie had finally been found and was recovering in the hospital from Doug's attack- things would get better in time, but pushing someone to get better, or worrying that things will only get worse, are the downfall that stops a person from recovering. It had worked for Buck. Could it work for Maddie too? He was going to have to try it out if she wasn't feeling less worried by the end of the day.

"Hello?" asked a voice, pulling Josh from his thoughts.

Shaking his head, Josh remembered that he had called Bobby. "Sorry, Captain Nash. My name is Josh. I work for 911. We met when Maddie was transferred to LA County Hospital a couple of years ago?"

"I remember. You're Maddie's mentor. Buck was so grateful to you for sending help out so fast to Chimney and for breaking the rules to get he and Athena a location on Doug's phone."

"Right. Well, I'm calling on Maddie's behalf this time. She's climbing the walls with worry over Buck, so I promised I would call and check on him for her."

"Buck's doing pretty well. Something's eating at him, but he won't tell me about it. I guess it's personal."

"Is he having trouble with his leg? I think that's what's troubling Maddie the most."

"No. It's like there was never a problem. He came back to work and it seemed like any other day, like no time passed at all. We really missed him though."

"I don't doubt that. Maddie mentioned that it was your team that was sent out to a house fire this morning. She was feeling worried that Buck might be suffering from smoke inhalation."

"He's fine. He wasn't in the house for very long, and the smoke was minimal. The fire was contained at the rear of the house. Maddie can relax, Buck is fine."

* * *

"What do you want to talk about?" asked Chimney as he sat with Buck in the station house's kitchen.

"Ali..." said Buck.

"You guys broke up?"

"Yeah. She left me in the middle of the night a few months ago. I just thought she was still angry after we argued the night before, but she didn't come back. I found a note in the kitchen that said she wasn't coming back to me and that I needed to get out of her home."

"That's harsh."

"Tell me about it. I figured that she might be angry with me, but I didn't doubt that she meant every word she wrote in that letter. I called Maddie and asked her to pick me up, but I didn't tell her anything. She figured it out when she got to me and found me packing my belongings."

"Maddie must have been upset and worried about you."

"She was. As soon as I told her about Ali and showed her the note, she got angry and went on a tirade about how she was going to make Ali realise her mistake and all of that. It was kind of amusing to watch actually. Once she calmed down, I told her that I really love Ali and that I wanted to work things out. It's taken a while, but I finally got through to Ali. She's adamant that we won't be together again if I still want to be a firefighter."

"That's ridiculous."

"Yeah, I know. I won't give up this job, Chim, but I really miss her."

"That's understandable. You still love her, so of course you miss her. I just hope you know that she's not worth your time if she can't accept that you put yourself in danger to save other people."

"I know that... I guess I just wish things were different, that's all."

Chimney smiled. "You'll meet the right girl someday, Buck. Trust me. I never imagined finding the perfect woman for me, but now I can see just how wrong I was."

"Maddie?"

"Yes. She's perfect. We get along so well, we've already seen each other at our worst. I know her biggest secret and she knows mine. I love her."

"Too much information, Chim," said Buck, "but, I get it. Thank you."

"Anytime."

* * *

"Maddie, I spoke with Captain Nash," said Josh, "and he told me to tell you not to worry about your brother. He's fine, and he's enjoying himself. I think he's upset over Ali, but otherwise he's fine."

"Thank you, Josh," said Maddie. "I really needed to hear that. I don't know why, since Chimney also told me to stop worrying because Buck is okay, but it just seems real now."

"You're welcome." Josh nodded at the computer screen. "How about we finish off this shift so you can get out of here and enjoy your night."

"That's a good idea. Chimney wants to take me to a restaurant for dinner tonight. I'm going to pick him up after I finish here."

"Good. The two of you need a night out together, without Buck, I mean."

"Buck's so not coming on my date, Josh!"

"I would hope not," laughed Josh as he returned to his desk and got back to work.


	5. Chapter 5

Seven pm came quickly for Maddie once she knew that her brother was definitely okay. Excitement had replaced the fear and anxiety she had been feeling all day as it came closer to her date with Chimney. She was just stepping out of the bathroom after changing into a nice dress when Sue came up and stopped her.

"Hi, Maddie," said Sue. "Date with Chimney?"

"How did you know?" asked Maddie.

"You are wearing a dress and heels, you've been smiling for the last hour, and you seem so much happier now than you did at the start of your shift."

"Well, thanks to you, Josh and Chimney, I guess I'm not as worried as I was about Buck."

"I've heard. Josh told me about it. I'm glad you're feeling better."

"Thank you."

"I'm also glad that you are opening up with us. I know it can't be easy to trust people after what Doug put you through, but I am happy that you've put trust in us."

"Well, it's easy to trust someone when they are still there for you after knowing your biggest secret."

Sue smiled. "You and Chimney make an excellent couple, you know? The two of you are just made for each other, I'm sure of it."

"I hope so. Doug turned me off a lot, but I really do want a family. I hope that Chim does too, because I want to spend the rest of my life with him."

"And if he doesn't want a family?"

"I still want to be with him. Nothing can change that."

"That's good to know." Sue gave Maddie another smile. "Anyway, enjoy your night out, and don't forget to tell me how it goes when you come in tomorrow."

"Of course!" Maddie smiled and waved goodbye as she walked out.

* * *

"Hey, Maddie, come on in," said Chimney when Maddie knocked on his apartment door.

"How are you?" asked Maddie as she settled herself in Chimney's arms.

"Good. You?"

"Better than I was this morning. Thank you for looking out for Buck today."

"I will always look out for him."

"You know, the fact that you like my brother makes dating so much easier."

"Yeah? How so?"

"Well, I know that you love my family, and that my family loves you. The whole meet the parents and siblings thing is done."

"You haven't met my family."

"Didn't you tell me your family is in Seoul?"

"You can still meet them via video chat. Although, sometimes I debate with myself if that's a good idea or not. I don't want them to hurt you in any way, and they'll probably try to."

"I can handle them. After everything Doug did to me, I'm sure that a few insults in a language I don't understand will be easy to deal with."

"Well, when you point it that way..." said Chimney with a small smile. He pulled Maddie in for a kiss.

"We should get going..." Maddie whispered after a few moments.

"We should."

"Like, now."

Reluctantly, they pulled apart and headed down to Maddie's car.

* * *

The restaurant was small, yet cozy. The atmosphere was warm and friendly. The waiters had smiles on their faces as they went around, filling water glasses or delivering orders. Maddie couldn't stop herself from smiling. She was already comfortable, and they were still waiting to be seated.

"Sorry for the wait," said a young woman. "Please, follow me and I'll take you to your table. I hope you don't mind, but the only two seat table we had left when you booked was near the window."

"That's actually perfect," said Chimney as he held Maddie's hand and followed the hostess to the table. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. Take a seat, a waiter will be by in a few minutes to take your order." The hostess gave a smile and then walked off.

Maddie picked up her menu and opened it, looking at the dinner options. It didn't take her long to spot something she knew she would love. Glancing up at Chimney, she saw her boyfriend place his menu on the table.

"I know what I want," said Maddie. "Do you?"

"Yes." Chimney smiled. "Well, I know what I want for dinner, I mean. There's something else I really want."

"That's naughty," grinned Maddie. "Wait until we get home."

Chimney laughed. "Well, we should get our dinner ordered then. I would like to get home as soon as possible."

"Slow down. Let's eat first. I'm starving," laughed Maddie just as a waiter arrived.

"Hi, I'm Alec. I'll be your waiter for the evening. Are you ready to order?"

"Yes, thank you," said Maddie. "I'll have the crumbed haddock with salad on the side, and a glass of Pinot Grigio."

"I'll have the seafood stir fry and a glass of the same wine, please," said Chimney.

"Okay. It shouldn't be too long of a wait for dinner. I'll bring out your drinks in a couple of minutes. Would you like some water while you wait?"

"No, thank you."

"Okay. I'll be back soon, then."

Maddie leaned forward in her seat once the waiter was gone. She reached out and took Chimney's hand. "I'm glad we finally did this."

"Me too. It's been way too long since we had a date."

"Yeah. I'm sorry about that, Chim. It's just been really hectic lately."

"I understand. You took on the responsibility of caring for Buck. You didn't have to, but you did. I admire that."

"Really?"

"Really. I guess that your nursing instincts kicked in, but he's your family, and I know that you'll always put him before yourself."

"I can't help it."

"I'm not asking you to. I just want you to take care of yourself as well."

"I am," said Maddie with a smile that showed how grateful she was.


	6. Chapter 6

**A/N: Maddie and Chimney have quickly become a favourite of mine. This chapter is just about them and their relationship.**

* * *

Maddie and Chimney ate their food in a comfortable silence. Occasionally, they commented on how nice the food tasted, but otherwise, they saved their conversation until they had ordered their desserts.

"I am so glad that we did this tonight," said Maddie happily. "I didn't realise just how much I was stressing during the day until I saw you."

"Is that good or bad?" asked Chimney.

"Good. I really missed you, I've been so stressed lately. Seeing you made me feel better, made me feel like I'm still connected to something other than work and looking after Buck." Maddie sighed. "Did that sound bad?"

"No. I understand. It isn't easy to look after an injured person, even if that person is your brother." Chimney smiled. "It's nice to know you missed me."

"Of course I missed you! I've wanted to go on a date with you for a while. I just didn't know how to ask you."

Chimney laughed. "Well, for future reference, the best way to ask is to just come up to me and say you want to go out."

"Thank you," said Maddie, a hint of sarcasm in her voice.

"What made you so unsure, anyway?" Chimney asked curiously.

Maddie shook her head. "It's stupid... but... I guess I'm still a little shy when it comes to social situations. Doug was always pushing me down, and that lasted years. I'm still getting used to being free."

"That isn't stupid at all!" Chimney reached and gently grabbed Maddie's hand. "You went through hell, Maddie. It takes time to heal from something like that. I want to help you with that. Even if it takes the rest of our lives, I want to be there by your side to help you."

Maddie gave Chimney a watery smile. "Oh, Chim..." she whispered before kissing him.

* * *

"We could watch a movie?" asked Chimney as he and Maddie walked into his apartment. "Or we could just relax together on the couch?"

"Maybe. But, I was thinking... you mentioned wanting to do something earlier tonight." Maddie grinned cheekily. "Are you still interested in that?"

"Oh, definitely! But, first, I want to relax on the couch, with a certain someone snuggled in next to me." Chimney took Maddie's hand and pulled her onto his couch.

"That sounds nice." Maddie scooted herself closer to Chimney and pressed herself into his side, resting her head on his shoulder and breathing in the smell of his cologne. "This is nice."

Ten minutes passed, and then Chimney looked down at Maddie to find her fast asleep. She looked peaceful and happy, and that made Chimney smile. He reached over Maddie to grab a blanket off the back of the couch, then gently covered her with it. Turning on the TV, Chimney turned the volume down low and watched a movie that was playing on the screen. He smiled in content as he felt Maddie shift against him and felt her head drop into his lap.

"I love you so much, Maddie," Chimney whispered as he gently caressed her hair.

"Love you, too..." came Maddie's half asleep voice.

"Hey. I thought you were asleep."

"Sleepy..."

"Let's go to bed." Chimney turned off the TV and lifted Maddie into his arms. "I'll carry you there."

Maddie giggled as Chimney lifted her into his arms and carried her to his bedroom. "Chim, you don't have to do this."

"I want to." Chimney carefully placed Maddie onto the bed and lifted the covers over her. "Besides, I want to get to bed eventually, and you are way to exhausted to get here on your own."

"Stay with me."

"I was planning on it." Chimney kicked off his shoes and climbed underneath the covers, where Maddie immediately cuddled up to him. "You okay?"

"Tired. So, so tired."

"Well, I'm right here. You can sleep now, Maddie."

Maddie nodded. She rested her head on Chimney's chest, which calmed her immediately, and she fell asleep in seconds.

* * *

It was Saturday. That was the first thought that ran through Chimney's head when he woke up and saw that it was already ten am. He didn't have work, and he could feel Maddie's hand clutching his underneath the blankets. He smiled when he turned his head to see if his girlfriend was awake, and he found her staring at him.

"Good morning, sleepy head," said Maddie with a grin. She closed the gap between them and put her arm over his chest.

"Good morning, Maddie. Did you sleep well?" asked Chimney after he kissed her head.

"Better than I have in months, actually. Maybe I should sleep in your bed more often."

"That can easily be arranged."

"Don't tempt me..."

"Isn't Buck back at home now?"

"Yes. Why?"

"You don't need to look after him."

"No, I don't."

"Then, isn't it time for you to do something for yourself?"

"It is."

Chimney grinned. "Well, I say that you should spend a few nights here with me."

"I think I agree with you."

"So, what do you say?"

Maddie smiled and cuddled into Chimney. "I like this. It's cozy. I'll stay with you."

"Sounds good to me." Chimney kissed Maddie.


	7. Chapter 7

**One Week Later**

Maddie sighed contentedly as she rolled over and opened her eyes. She had been spending every night at Chimney's apartment for the past week, and it had been a nice change from being stuck in her own apartment. She had been able to get a restful sleep each night, thanks to Chimney cuddling her until she fell asleep.

"Morning, sleepy head," said Chimney as he walked into the bedroom with a tray of breakfast. "We both need to get ready for work."

"Is that breakfast for me?" asked Maddie after kissing Chimney.

"It is."

"You are amazing. The best thing that's ever happened to me."

"Well, I could say the same thing about you. Maybe Tatiana breaking up with me was the best thing that could have happened to me, because it made room for me to meet you."

"Well, bad luck for her, cause she missed out on something special." Maddie took the tray from Chimney and gestured towards the bed. "Sit with me."

"I'm going to have a shower and get ready. I suggest you have breakfast so you can do the same. I doubt that Bobby or Sue want us to be late."

"You might be right about that." A grin spread across Maddie's face. "But, a kiss won't hurt."

"No, it won't." Chimney leaned down and kissed Maddie again. "But, anything else will have to wait until tonight!"

Maddie laughed happily before digging into the delicious breakfast.

* * *

"Good morning, Maddie," said Sue as Maddie walked past the break room. "Spend the night with Chimney again?"

"Is it that obvious?" asked Maddie, even though she knew she was smiling from ear to ear.

"You are glowing. I haven't seen you as happy as you have been this week. It seems like you're less stressed about your brother, and you're enjoying yourself again. It's good."

"You know, it took me a long time to get past the way Doug treated me. Chimney and Buck tried so hard to help, but I think I just needed time to heal. It's taken a long time, but I'm now past it. Chimney was so patient, and now I can really enjoy being with him."

"I think we've noticed," said Josh as he came up to Maddie. "We'll have to thank Chimney the next time we see him, I think."

"Which will probably be sooner than you think. He's picking me up tonight so we can go out for dinner."

"Where is he taking you?"

"I don't know. He said he'd call me once he figures it out. Really, we could eat pasta in one of our apartments and I'd be happy. I don't need to go out."

"It sounds like Chimney is the perfect person for you," said Sue.

"I wish I had met him years ago. I never would have married Doug if I had had the option of being with Chim."

"Maybe. I think that your experience with Doug is what you needed to see just how special you really are," said Josh as he and Maddie headed over to their desks. "Buck mentioned that you were pretty shy before meeting Doug, but now you seem to be way more confident."

"Well, I did grow up a lot with Doug." Maddie shrugged. "It's in the past, and that's where it's going to stay from now on." She sat down and put on her headset, getting a call almost immediately. "911, what's your emergency?"

* * *

Buck smiled when Chimney stepped into the station house. "Hey, did Maddie stay with you again last night?"

"Yes. Why?" asked Chimney.

"I was just wondering why she's been so happy lately."

"I don't know. It could be that she's been sleeping over lately," grinned Chimney happily.

"I haven't seen her this happy since we were kids. Thank you for making my sister so very happy, Chim."

"If I'm being honest, Maddie makes me happy too. So, I guess I should thank you for convincing her to stay in LA in the first place."

"Well, you are welcome for that."

Chimney laughed and clapped his hand on Buck's shoulder. "Let's go to work before Bobby finds us."

"Hey, Chim, where are you taking Maddie for dinner?" asked Hen as Chimney joined her at the side of the ambulance.

"I don't know. I can't decide. There's this great restaurant a few blocks from the 911 building that's just gotten new owners. It's not too busy that I can't get a reservation at the last minute, but there's also this cozy diner two streets from here that Maddie loves. I don't know which one I want to take her to."

"Have you been to this restaurant?"

"No."

"Then, maybe stick to the diner. You both know it. Maddie loves it. It will be a perfect date for you."

Chimney nodded. "You're right. I'll call them and see if they're open tonight. Thanks, Hen."

"Anytime." Hen grinned. "So, when are you going to propose?"

"What?!" Buck exclaimed as he and Eddie walked past. "You want to marry my sister?!"

Chimney looked up. "No! I mean, yes, I want to be with Maddie forever, but I'm not going to propose anytime soon! We're both still navigating this relationship. We aren't ready for marriage!"

Buck relaxed. "Thank god. I love you, Chim, and I know you are perfect for Maddie, but she's not ready for that. I don't want her to be hurt again."

"I'd never hurt her, Buck." Chimney smiled. "I love Maddie, I couldn't even begin to imagine hurting her."

A smile formed on Buck's face. "And that is why you are perfect for her. You know her darkest secret and you still love her."

"Are we talking about Chimney loving Maddie?" asked Bobby.

"We are."

"Well, that conversation can wait for another time. Let's go! We've got a special call-out. Hen, Chim, get the ambulance. Buck, Eddie, with me in the truck! Let's go!"


	8. Chapter 8

**One Week Later**

Maddie shoved her phone into her pocket as she walked out of the bathroom. Her thoughts were still on the call she had just taken from Chimney, and on her plans for the night. Maddie could feel a smile tugging at her mouth while she walked. However, when she stepped into the bull pen of the call centre, Maddie felt the smile disappear and her stomach drop. The room was full of the sound of ringing phones, but nobody was talking. She couldn't hear a single voice in the room. Glancing around, Maddie noticed a man just ahead of her- one that wasn't familiar and wasn't wearing a 911 uniform. He was holding something in his hand, though Maddie couldn't really make out what it was. Fear gripped Maddie as she slowly walked towards the man. She didn't know why she was going near him, but she also didn't want to stop. The man was clearly up to no good, and there was no way that Maddie was going to allow the people she had started to consider friends to be hurt by him. Maddie took a deep breath as she reached the man and tapped him on the shoulder.

"Who are you? What are you doing in here?" Maddie asked as calmly as she could, glancing at the weapon in the man's hand.

"Where did you come from?!" the man asked, obviously startled by Maddie's sudden appearance.

"I think you should leave now."

"Leave? You think I should leave? Because of you people, my son is dead! You people are going to pay, slowly and one by one!"

Maddie's eyes widened as she realised the weapon was a stun gun. She had come into contact with one in the past, at Doug's hands, and she remembered spending a few days in the hospital recovering. She didn't want to be in that situation again. Taking a step back, Maddie held up her hands.

"Look... You don't need to do this..." she tried, but it was too late.

The man held the stun gun up in front of him. Maddie prayed that the weapon would malfunction, but then she felt a sudden jolt of electricity jar her body. She dropped to the floor, writhing in agony for a few moments before her eyes shut and she passed out.

"Maddie!" shouted Sue. She turned to the man as a couple of operators tackled him to the ground. "You could have walked away and been free! Now, I'll be making sure you go to jail!" Sue turned back to Maddie and dropped to her knees, spotting Josh from the corner of her eye when he joined her.

"Call the 118," said Josh as he pressed his fingers to Maddie's neck. "We need their ambulance and police."

Sue didn't need to be told twice. She grabbed the nearest phone and called the number that had become so familiar to her since Maddie had been kidnapped by Doug.

"Hello?"

"Captain Nash, this is Sue Blevins..."

"I know who you are. Is everything okay?"

"No. I need your ambulance and paramedics now at the call centre, and I need the police! Hurry!"

* * *

"Captain?" asked Buck as he and Eddie got into the fire truck. "Where are we going?"

"The 911 call centre," replied Bobby. "Something happened over there. I got a call from Sue Blevins. She's begged for us to be there. Call Athena and tell her to get over there as well."

Buck and Eddie looked at each other, communicating silently. Something bad had obviously happened if Sue was calling them personally.

"I'll text Chimney and tell him where we're going," said Eddie as Buck put his phone to his ear.

"Athena!" Buck said after a moment. "We're heading to the 911 call centre. You need to get over there too. I don't know what is going on, but we were requested and told that police presence is required!"

"On my way, Buck. Is Maddie working?" asked Athena.

"I think so. I can't get through to her, though. She's probably busy!"

"Try her again."

Buck hung up and dialed his sister's number, an uneasy feeling settling in his stomach when he didn't get an answer.

* * *

Maddie stirred. She could feel fingers on her neck and opened her eyes a fraction.

"Sue?" she whispered when she spotted her boss hovering above her. "My chest hurts..."

"Just breathe, okay? You're okay, just take deep breaths," said Sue, hoping she was telling Maddie the right thing.

Josh pulled Maddie into a seated position between himself and Sue, keeping an arm around her protectively.

"Breathe, Maddie," he said, "help will be here soon."

Maddie glanced at Josh, then looked back at Sue. She took a couple of deep breaths, then started shivering. She felt Josh's arm tighten around her, then felt Sue grab her hand and squeeze it. Squeezing Sue's hand in return, Maddie leaned into Josh's embrace, seeking out comfort.

"It's okay, Maddie," said Sue gently. "You're okay."

"No..." said Maddie. "I think... my heart..."

"It's just returning to a normal rhythm. Keep taking deep breaths."

"Electricity is dangerous..."

"Help is coming. We're going to get you to a hospital very soon," said Josh.

"Buck?"

Sue smiled. "I'll call him from the hospital. Is he at work?"

Maddie nodded. "First week back..."

Sue smiled. "I'll bet he's loving it."

Maddie opened her mouth to reply, but she groaned instead. "Hurts..."

"Just keep breathing through the pain," said Josh as several sets of footsteps came rushing up.

* * *

Athena didn't know how she was going to tell Chimney and Buck who they were there to help. Maddie was special to the both of them. She was a friend to everyone at the 118, but she was Buck's sister and Chimney's girlfriend. She really hoped that they could keep a level head long enough to help Maddie.

"Athena, what's going on?" asked Hen as the five of them arrived on scene.

"It's not good," answered Athena. "Some guy that lost his son before help arrived decided that it was the 911 operator's fault his son is gone. He's apparently been coming here on the anniversary of his son's death every year for the past six years, but he never hurts anyone. According to most of the people in the building, Maddie walked in on him and surprised him. He probably thought he had everyone in his sight line, but Maddie had been on a break when he came in. She tried to help everyone, but that clearly didn't work in her favour. She's inside with her boss."

"How bad is she hurt?" asked Buck, his protective instincts in full swing.

"I'm not sure. She keeps saying that her chest is hurting, but I'm not a doctor. There could be any number of reasons for that."

Buck and Chimney both glanced at Bobby. "Captain..." they said at the same time.

"Go. Take Hen with you. Make sure that she's safe, otherwise transport her to the hospital. Buck can stay with Maddie if she goes to the hospital. Eddie and I will make sure everything is okay out here."


	9. Chapter 9

Chimney and Hen dropped to their knees on either side of Maddie. They could see that she was struggling to stay awake, despite Sue and Josh talking to her.

"Mads?" asked Buck gently as he sat down in front of his sister.

"Buck!" exclaimed Maddie. She reached out a hand to grasp her brother's shirt. "You came."

"Of course I came, Maddie. I'm right here. Let Chim and Hen look after you, alright?"

"Chimney's here?"

"I'm right next to you, Maddie," said Chimney. "Can you tell me what's wrong?"

"My chest hurts... My heart..."

"What about your heart?" asked Hen as she pulled out her stethoscope to listen to Maddie's chest.

"It's been racing for roughly fifteen minutes. We've tried to calm her down, but she's insistent that the electrical current from the stun gun has done something to her heart," said Sue.

"Her heart is beating pretty fast, Chim," said Hen. "Maybe we can give her something to slow it down? A sedative, maybe?"

Chimney glanced at Maddie while he checked her blood pressure. He could see fear in her eyes. "You know what? I was going to say that we should get her to the ambulance and see if being in a quiet, somewhat private area would help, but let's give her half a milligram of Valium and finish checking her. If it works, great. If not, we'll get her out of here and let a doctor give her something else."

"Chim, Valium won't hurt Maddie, will it?" asked Buck. He had removed Maddie's hand from his uniform and was gently squeezing it.

"It might not do anything at all, but if it does, then it will help her."

Buck looked conflicted for a moment. He wanted to help Maddie, but he didn't want anything to happen to her. She was clearly already in pain and hurt. "Alright," he said after a few moments, "do it. Just be careful."

Chimney nodded at Hen and went back to checking Maddie's vital signs. Hen rummaged through her bag for a moment, then pulled out an IV line and gauze. She unwound the tubing for the IV.

"Okay, Maddie, I need your hand please," she said. She gently took Maddie's right hand in her own hand and inserted a needle. A second later, the IV line was connected to the needle in Maddie's hand and Hen was taping down the gauze. "Okay. I'm pushing the Valium, Chim."

"Go ahead," said Chimney. He turned to Josh, who was still sitting next to Maddie on the floor. "Make sure you hold her upright. If the Valium does it's job, she'll probably start falling asleep."

"I've got her. She's not going to fall," said Josh, but he tightened his hold on Maddie just in case.

* * *

"How's she doing, Hen?" called Chimney as soon as he was on the road, speeding towards the hospital.

"She's unconscious, but stable. Just get us to the hospital," replied Hen as she worked to keep Buck from dissolving into tears.

"That was supposed to help her, Hen," said Buck worriedly.

"It has helped her a bit. Her heart rate has slowed considerably."

"She's unconscious!"

"Her body has just gone through a serious shock, Buck. It needs rest. The doctors will let you know if you need to worry."

"Are you worried?"

"Not really. Maddie's strong, she'll fight and bounce back in no time."

"Sue said she was hit with a stun gun..."

"That doesn't mean anything. Maddie was scared- the electricity may not have done anything to her."

"You sound so sure."

"Without further testing, I can't be one hundred percent sure whether or not the electricity played a part in all of this, but I can be sure that there's no permanent damage to Maddie's heart. The Valium we gave her wouldn't have done anything if there was damage present." Hen gave Buck a smile. "Let the doctors look after Maddie, and they will tell you if you need to be worried about her."

* * *

"What have you got?" asked a young woman as she rushed up to meet the ambulance.

"Female, forty years old. She was electrocuted with a stun gun, lasting roughly thirty seconds," said Hen. "Her vitals were high when we arrived, but have calmed down now with the use of Valium."

"Dosage?"

"Half a milligram."

"Her name?"

"Madeline Buckley. She prefers Maddie." Hen pointed to Buck. "This is Evan Buckley. He's Maddie's younger brother, and the only family she has in LA."

"Mr Buckley, I'm Doctor Smith. I'm going to ask you to wait in the ER's waiting area. I'll update you as soon as I have more information." The doctor scanned the notes from Chimney and Hen. "Is your sister allergic to anything?"

"No," said Buck.

"Okay. I'll let you see Maddie once I have her settled in a room. It shouldn't be too long of a wait, but I do want to get as many tests done while she's unconscious as I possibly can."

"Just, be gentle with her," pleaded Buck as he sat on a chair and watched the doctor wheel his sister into a curtained cubicle.

* * *

Dr Smith took the printout of Maddie's ECG and scanned it, relieved to see that the results showed a normal rhythm. Maddie was still unconscious, her heart rate was still a little high, but she was stable, and the doctor was glad for it. She had seen that Buck was terrified, and she knew how that felt. It wasn't that long ago that she had been in a similar situation with her own sister.

"Doctor, here are the results you asked for," said a nurse as she passed by the room that Maddie had been settled in.

"Thank you." Dr Smith took the results and opened them. She read through the sheets of paper, smiling as she got to the end. "Well, Maddie, you are one lucky lady, that's for sure. I'll go and get your brother so he can see that you'll be fine in a few days."

The doctor checked the heart monitor to make sure that Maddie's vitals were still stable and then stepped out of the room, heading for the ER.


	10. Chapter 10

"Hey, Buck, have you heard anything yet?" asked Bobby as he and the rest of the team found him in the waiting room.

"No," said Buck. His head was buried in his hands as he spoke.

"I'm sure everything's okay," said Eddie. "The doctor is probably just running tests to make sure they've covered all bases before telling you that Maddie is fine."

"I really hope so..."

"Mr Buckley?" asked Dr Smith. She stepped up in front of Buck.

"Can I see my sister now?" asked Buck after looking up.

"Of course. I can give you the test results as we walk, if you like."

Buck stood up, followed the doctor to the elevator, then glanced back to see his friends giving him smiles of encouragement.

* * *

"So, her heart isn't damaged?" Buck asked, confused.

"It's not damaged, no. The electricity has knocked it out of rhythm, but that seems to be fixing itself without our intervention. We'll just monitor her for the next few days to see what happens, and we'll step in if needed," said Dr Smith.

"Maddie's going to recover?"

"Of course. She's probably going to feel tired and weak for a few hours, but she'll recover completely after some rest."

"How long does she need to stay here?"

"Barring any complications, just a few days. She'll be out of here by Saturday."

Buck let out a breath he had been holding. "Thank you," he said as he looked through the window into Maddie's room. "You have no idea how grateful I am."

"I think I do. Your expression says it all," smiled Dr Smith. "Go in there, spend some time with your sister. I have no doubt that everyone else will find their way up here shortly. It would be better for Maddie to wake up with just you in the room, then with everyone crowding her."

"When will she wake up?"

"It shouldn't be too long once she hears your voice."

Buck nodded. He opened the door quietly and stepped into the room, walking over to his sister's side immediately. Taking Maddie's hand as gently as he could, he said, "Maddie, I hope you can hear me. The doctor said that you'll be fine in a few days, but you have to wake up now. Please, wake up."

There was no response for a few minutes. As Buck settled in a chair, prepared to wait as long as it took for Maddie to regain consciousness, he felt something shift in his hand. With a smile, Buck looked at his sister's face, finding that her eyes were open, though they were clearly struggling to stay that way with the bright light in the room.

"Maddie? Did you hear me?" Buck asked happily as he stood again and squeezed Maddie's hand.

"Of course I did," whispered Maddie. "I need water," she added after a moment.

Buck grabbed a plastic cup from beside the bed and filled it with water. He handed it over to Maddie, holding it steady when her hand shook slightly.

"Thanks," said Maddie as pushed away a second cup of water. "I'm okay?"

"Yes. And, as long as you rest and listen to the doctor and nurses, you'll be out of here by the weekend."

Maddie nodded, but stayed quiet for a few minutes. She sighed as she leaned into the pillows.

"Is something wrong, Mads?" Buck asked.

"I'm tired, I guess."

"But?"

"But, I can't understand why things just don't seem to go well for us. First, it was me trapped in a deadly relationship. I finally gathered up the courage to get out of there, and then Doug finds me, hurts Chim, and kidnaps me. He was going to kill me. You and Athena saved me from that, I finally began to move on, then that kid tries to kill Captain Nash and injures you instead. I thought I was going to be going to a funeral when I saw that news. But, you got better, you went back to work, and not even a month later, I'm laying in a hospital bed. What did we do to deserve such bad luck?" ranted Maddie.

"I don't know, Mads. I guess we're just unlucky like that. Who knows? They say bad luck comes in threes, and this is number three. Maybe this is the end of it and we can get on with our lives."

Maddie smiled. "You are such an optimist, Evan Buckley."

"News flash, I got that from my big sister," teased Buck as the tension from the last couple of hours finally drained out of his body.

"You're an idiot, you know that?" laughed Maddie.

* * *

"Okay, that's long enough," declared Chimney as Bobby returned with more of the crappy, black sludge that passed for coffee in the hospital's family lounge.

"What's enough?" asked Hen.

"Buck's been with Maddie for an hour. It's time for me to go in there... Oh, I guess the rest of you can come too."

"Shouldn't we wait for Buck to let us know that Maddie's up for visitors?" asked Eddie.

"Probably, but I need to see my girlfriend with my own eyes before I believe that she's okay. Nothing is stopping me from going back there." Chimney stood up and headed to the door, knowing everyone was behind him.

A few minutes later, Chimney opened the door to Maddie's room and stepped in. He smiled at the sight before him- Buck had taken up residence on the end of his sister's hospital bed and was ready one of Maddie's books that he had brought with him from her desk at the call centre. Maddie was looking bored as she flicked through channels on the TV, giving Buck an occasional kick whenever he laughed at something in her book.

"Hi," said Chimney as he and the rest of their friends entered the room. "How are you feeling, Maddie?"

"Pretty tired," admitted Maddie after she turned off the TV. "Thank you, Chim, and you as well, Hen, for looking after me."

"Hey, that's our job," said Hen, "and you are our friend. Of course we were going to help you."

"That," added Chimney, "and if we hadn't, Buck would have murdered us on the spot."

"I wouldn't have murdered you..." said Buck mischievously, "but I would have seriously maimed you both for leaving Maddie to die."

"Buck!" exclaimed Maddie, but she said it half-heartedly and was smiling.


	11. Chapter 11

Maddie waved goodbye as the majority of her friends left the room an hour later. She loved them all, but she was exhausted and just wanted to sleep.

"You okay, Maddie?" asked Chimney as he pulled her into his arms.

Maddie rested her head on Chimney's shoulder. "Yeah, I'm just tired."

"Do you want me to go?"

"No."

"Do you want me to move so you can lay down?"

"No. I'm comfortable like this." Maddie snuggled into Chimney's chest.

Smiling, Chimney placed a gentle kiss on Maddie's head and tightened his hold on her.

"Don't fall asleep yet," said a familiar voice that Maddie hadn't heard in two years.

Maddie glanced up at her visitor, smiling brightly. "Lori!" she exclaimed excitedly.

"When Buck called and said that you weren't really coping out here, I didn't think he meant that you were unwell or anything. I just thought he meant you needed a friend," said Lori as she sat next to Buck on the end of the bed.

"You called Lori?" Maddie asked her brother.

"I had to. You pretended to be fine, Mads, but I know you. All the time you spent looking after me, you stopped caring about yourself. I had to step in," said Buck. "I don't like seeing you upset, Maddie."

"I don't mind looking after you, Buck."

"Maybe not, but that doesn't mean you should neglect yourself and your own needs. I asked Lori to come and visit you, because I know how much you're missing her."

Maddie smiled. "Thank you," she said to Buck.

"So, why is my friend in the hospital?" asked Lori.

"I'm not sick, Lori."

"No, she's just been tasered and lost consciousness a couple of times," said Chimney softly.

"Who hurt you and where can I find them?"

Maddie laughed. "I missed you so much, Lori!"

"Well, I'm here now. When do you get out of the hospital?"

"In a few days, according to Buck."

"When you get out of here, Maddie, you and I are going to spend some time together. I miss hanging out with you."

"I know a great cafe we can get lunch at then," said Maddie happily, not noticing that the two men were leaving the room.

* * *

"Did you really ask Maddie's friend to come here because she isn't coping?" asked Chimney once he and Buck were in the corridor outside Maddie's room.

"Yes. I meant what I said- Maddie stopped caring about herself when she took me in and cared for me. I know she doesn't mind doing that, but I still don't like it. I needed to help her remember what it's like to have fun," answered Buck.

"Am I not fun enough?" pouted Chimney.

"I wouldn't know. We don't talk about you and Maddie. I never want to know what's happening there."

Chimney grinned. "Are you sure about that?"

"Shut up." Buck laughed. "Look, I know you mean the world to Maddie, Chim, but all she ever does now is hang around with one of us or with Athena. I need her to have friends outside our group. She always loved being around Lori- they are best friends- and I want her to be close with Lori like that again."

"I don't think you need to worry about that." Chimney pointed at Maddie and Lori through the window. "It looks like they are already reconnecting with each other. I highly doubt that they have forgotten how close they were. Besides, after two years apart, they have a lot to talk about."

"I really hope you are right, Chimney," sighed Buck.

* * *

Maddie laughed yet again as Lori told her another story from the hospital in Hershey. It seemed like the team had really pulled together after Maddie had left to ensure they still had fun, but Lori had made it very clear that they all missed Maddie. The team's attempts to recreate the fun they had with Maddie always seemed to lead to something going wrong. It was funny for Maddie to hear it all, and the laughter, combined with the company of her best friend, was helping to relieve a lot of the pent up emotions she had been feeling.

"So, Maddie," said Lori after they finally stopped laughing, "Buck told me you work for 911 now. What's that like?"

"It's good. It took me a while to get comfortable there, but I have a great boss and my mentor is amazing. They've both been there for me from the very start, and they broke the rules to get Buck and his friend to me when Doug kidnapped me," said Maddie. She smiled. "I couldn't ask for a better place to work now that I'm here. I miss you and the girls, but I think I'm going to put nursing behind me for a while."

"Well... 911 certainly gained an amazing operator. You put your heart and soul into your work, and I really don't see this as being different to nursing. You're still helping people."

"Always. I may be putting nursing on hold, but I can't put my instincts on hold."

"Nobody will ever ask you to do that."

"You've been speaking to Buck?" asked Maddie, changing the subject.

"In the last few weeks, yes. He called me out of the blue a couple of months ago to ask for my help. He wanted to know how he could get you to focus on yourself for a while, but as soon as he mentioned that you were looking after him, I knew that there was no way that he'd get you to stop thinking about him and start thinking about yourself. I told him that once he was back at work, he should call me again, and we could work out a way to help you. When he did call back, he asked me to come out here and spend some time with you."

"What about your work?"

"The girls know where I am. They are quite annoyed with me, though."

"Why?"

"I told them they had to work instead of coming here to see you. I wanted some time alone with you, and that wouldn't have happened if they came too."

"No, it wouldn't."

"So, Maddie, who was that guy sitting with you just now?" asked Lori, a grin etched on her face.

"His name is Chimney."

"Wait, what?"

Maddie giggled. "Well, that's his nickname. His real name is Howard."

"Where did Chimney come from?"

"I don't know. He won't tell me, and he never told Buck, so I can't ask him either."

"Okay. Does Chimney work with you?"

"He works with Buck. He's a firefighter and a paramedic."

"You two seemed pretty close."

"He's nice," smiled Maddie, "and, yes, we are dating. We've been going out nearly a year now. He's been so patient with me, especially when I said I wasn't ready for a relationship again."

"That's good. He seems like the opposite of Doug."

"Oh, believe me, everyone is the opposite of Doug. Chim is so sweet, so kind and caring. He's friendly. I'm comfortable around him."


	12. Chapter 12

**Three Days Later**

Maddie breathed in the fresh air as she stepped out of the hospital's foyer with Lori. She was heading home, with a stop for lunch along the way, and she was very relieved to be away from the doctors and their poking and prodding. She was feeling almost back to normal, though she found she was getting tired easily. She knew that she would be fine with some rest, but she also knew herself- she would need to force herself to rest. Maybe having Lori around would be good for her in that respect. She was a nurse, after all, and having a paramedic for a boyfriend was another big help. If she wasn't going to trust her own instincts, then at least she knew she could trust the instincts of those around her.

"Hey, earth to Maddie," said Lori. "Are you with me?"

"Sorry, Lori," answered Maddie, shaking her head slightly. "I was thinking about something."

"Okay, well... I need directions here. I thought you were going to show me around?"

"I said I would think about it. I haven't made up my mind yet." Maddie giggled. "Go left at the lights to get onto the freeway. I'll tell you the exit when you get to it."

"Why do I feel like you just want to give me the wrong directions?"

"I wouldn't do that... I want to go home eventually!" Maddie laughed, her eyes twinkling. "Maybe next time you visit, I'll take you on a wild goose chase," she said with a cheeky grin.

* * *

Twenty minutes later, and they were just about to sit in a booth in Maddie's favourite cafe. The waitress for the day knew Maddie well now, and she just decided to put in Maddie's usual order when they walked in.

"We didn't order anything," said Lori once they were seated.

"I'm a regular here," admitted Maddie. "They know what I like, and they probably ordered the same thing for you. You'll love it, I promise."

"What is it?"

"A grilled panini. It's just cheese and chicken in it."

Lori breathed a sigh of relief. "Okay. I can handle that," she said.

Maddie laughed. "You're a drama queen, you know that?"

"Am not."

"Are too. I forgot how much you love drama." Maddie sighed happily. "I'm glad Buck called you, Lori. I didn't realise how much I needed to spend time with you again."

"It's definitely good to be here. I missed you so much."

"I missed you, too. Next time you come down, bring the girls with you. I miss them as well."

"We'll see. It's hard to take an entire shift of nurses on vacation in one go, you know."

"Not as hard as you think. Everyone deserves some time off, even those girls."

"Like I said, we'll see. Besides, you should come and visit us next."

"If I can get time off work, then sure."

Maddie and Lori fell silent as their food arrived and they silently tucked in, enjoying the deliciousness of the sandwiches and the comfortable silence between them.

**The End**


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